Process and apparatus for atomizing materials from moving aircraft



Dec. 9, 1930. N. E. OGLESBY ET AL I 1,784,157

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR' ATOMIZING MATERIALS F'RCM MOVING AIRCRAFTFiled March 9, 1929 K v INVEN TObR. Nzclmlg s Qqles y BY Fleming 1?.Mal/er W fig/WWW ATTORNEY.

Patented Dec. 9, 1930 NICHOLAS E. OGLESBY FLEMING B. WEAVER, OFEDGEWOOD, MARYLAND PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR ATOMIZING MATERIALS FROM:MOVING AIRCRAFT Application filed March 9,

1929. Serial No. 345,856.

(GB-ANTED UNDER HIE ACT- OIIABOH 3, 1883, AS AIENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) This invention described herein may be manufactured andusedby or for the Govern ment for Government purposes, without the paymentto us of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates in general to the dispersion of chemicalsubstances and more particularly has reference to a method and apparatusfor dispersing fluids from moving aircraft.

Previous to this time, the various apparatus and methods employed for,dispersingchemlcal agents from moving aircraft have been for the mostpart of limited application to the actual tactical requirements ofwarfare and not adaptable to certain modern requirements. The mosteflicient systems and devices heretoforejused'have been directedto v thegeneration of smoke by the introduction of suitable materials .into theexhaust manifolds of airplane'motors, and the spraying of liquids insubstantially the opposite direction and at-an approximate equalvelocity to that of the aircraft upon which they have been installed.While a number of the ex'pedients of this character for dispersingmaterials have been successful to some degree, those directed to thefirst mentioned type cannot readily be installed on modernaircraft,'from which the exhaust manifolds have been removed to decreasethe fire hazard in crashes as well as to improve the mechanicaloperation. In the latter variety mentioned, the ob]ect has been toprevent atomization of the/materials and hence, as will be apparent byreference to the description hereinafter, these are not suitable for thepurposes of this invention.

' In the past, it has been sought to prov de devices capable of droppingcertain hlgh boiling materials in large drops from considerable heightswith comparatively slowplanes. A toxic or vesicant fluid, such as thatcommonly termed mustard gas, 15 usually used, with the effect ofproducing a hlghly persistant blanket of material on the area over whichit is dispersed. I

It will be appreciated that it is not always desirable to contaminateground over a considerable period and thus prevent occupancy until thearea is cleared. If comparatively non-volatile material is used anddispersed in large drops, 'as was sought in the prior apparatus, thiscondition will manifestly obtain. If on the other hand it is sought'toatomize the liquid so as to render it more volatile,'the com licatedstructures whichhave been provide in the past are not suitable I 1 forthe small and fast planes which usually are better adapted to thispurpose.

In warfare, it is often advantageous to to produce as high a number ofcasualties as possible among enemy troops on a specified area so that anadvance may be made immediately to occupy such territory. It isv obviousthat the groundshould be contami- 05 nated for only a short period in aninstance of" this character (as would also be the case where it wassought to exterminate objec tionable insects or similar agriculturalpests) where immediate occupancy of the area is de-- 7i sirable. It isnot alfiways desirable. moreover, thatcurtains of smoke be dispersedfrom considerable heights, as a low screen is often sufficient, if notmore advanta eous, and may be more economically and safe y produced byfast movin planes on which light apparatus is installe than by the heavyapparatus which formerly required the use of large aircraft.

An ob'ect of this invention. isto provide a metho and apparatus foratomizing fluids discharged from aircraft.

Another object of this invention is to provide a method arid apparatusfor dispersing comparatively non-volatile fluids from aircraft so thatthey will berelatively nonpersistent on the, ground.

Still another' object of this invention is to provide a method andapparatus for producing low hanging and highly obscuring smoke screens.i

A further object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatusfor dispersing irritant and vesicant materials from an airplane thatwill. not afiect the pilot or contact with the plane. v

A still further object of this invention is to provide a method andapparatus for releasing receptacles containing dangerous 1m ,invention.F1 are 2 1s a side elevatlonal view show ing t e apparatus installed onan airplane. igure 3 is an end view of the closure mechanism on thedischarge line.

. Referring by numerals to the drawings in which the same and similarelements are designated by like symbols of reference throughout, andmore particularly to Figure 1, there is shown a tank 1 adapted to act asa reservoir for the particular fluid it is desired to disperse. Theshape of the apparatus and its location on an airplane, as will morefully hereinafter appear, may vary for the particular purposes for whichit is desired to use the same, and for installation on different typesof planes.

If non-corrosive chemicals are employed, such as mustard gas and thelike, steel or such alloys as duraluminum may be used in constructingthe tank. Where corrosive agents are employed, however, such as titaniumtetrachloride and stannic chloride, it is deemed desirable to constructthe reservoir out of commercial material, preferably of the commercialmetal known as Monel.

A line 2 communicating with the interior of the tank is suitably securedto the bottom thereof by welding, or in any other suitable mannerconnected to an elbow 3 through a coupling' i. The discharge line formedof the pipes 2 and 3 is preferably made of the same material as thetank 1. It is manifest that one pipe may be employed if it is found moresuitable, although for installing the apparatus on different types ofplanes, it is deemed desirable to make up the discharge line in twosections, so that various elbows forming the nozzle may be substitutedto 1m surethe discharge of the chemicals at a proper distance from theplane.

of the vertical part of the discharge line to prevent the liquid beingsucked up the outside of the discharge line, as would otherwise occur,with the resulting m ury to the This and 3, held by a bolt or othersuitable attaching means 7 fastened through the center of the cap. Oneend of the-crosspice-G is pivoted on a shoulder, not shown, attached tothe side of the nozzle by a bolt 8, and the other end allowed to rest ina notch formed in a shoulder 9 suitably mounted on the opposite side ofthe nozzle. The free end of the crosspiece is provided with an aperture11 adapted to receive a pull cord or other suitable operating medium forconnection with a convenient point in the cockpit ,of the airplane uponwhich the apparatus is-installed.

It has been found that it is essential to vent the material in thecontainer to insure a rapid, and uniform discharge of the liquidfilling. For this purpose, a vent line 12 projecting to the top of thetank 1 is encasedin the discharge line formed by the pipes 2 and 3. Theend of the Vent line 12-terminates at the same point as the mouth of thenozzle, so that the cap 5 can act as a closure for both the dischargeline and the vent line.

The tank 1 is provided on the top with an aperture for receiving thefluids which it is desired to disperse, provided with a conventional capor closure 13. In addition, a plurality of lugs 14 and 15 are suitablysecured on the top of the tank for attachment to a suitable carryingmechanism on an airplane.

It is deemeddesirable, as in the illustrations shown, that the lugs beof a similar type to those usually provided on bombs, so that the tankmay be instantly released from the plane. if a forced landing or othercontingency arises in which the presenceof highly reactive substances onthe plane would be hazardous to the personnel or persons on the groundin proximity to a crash.

In practice, it is advisable from both the standpoint of safety and ofconvenience that the tank be loaded before it is attached to anairplane. In filling the tank, a stand is prefera ly providedto hold theapparatus a sufficient distance above the ground or floor to protect thenozzle and the valve. A void should be left in the tank after it hasbeen filled to allow for expansion of the liquid due to temperaturechanges, and after the required amount of the material which it isdesired to use has been loaded in the container through the filling holewith the valve closed, the tank is then sealed with the plug or otherclosure 13.

When mounting the tank, the airplane upon which it is desired to installthe apparatus is preferably rolled into position directly It has beenfound that complete atomiza-- tion of liquids is obtained when they arepoured from moving aircraft, due to thecounter-longitudinal motion ofthe air at the instant the fluid is released, thus making it possible todischarge highly persistent materials in comparatively non-persistentform on the ground. It is'apparent that this makes possible entirely newtactical uses of the highly persistent chemical agents heretoforeemployed for contaminating areas over long periods.

It is manifest that'the invention is in no wise restricted to the use ofany particular substances and that while reference has been had toliquids composed essentially of a single chemical compound, it is alsoadapted or the dispersion of solutions, suspensions, emulsions and thelike containing an active chemical ingredient.

Where it is wished to use the apparatus for laying low hanging smokescreens or for sky writing, either titanium tetrachloride or stan-.

nic chloride is most generally used, while in distributing vesicantsubstances where highly toxic and irritant properties are desirable,mustard gas is most usually employed. For

, the extermination'of agricultural pests such as the boll weevil or mouito larvae in.

swamps, other materials may found which will serve more suitably for thepurpose.

When it is desired to discharge the material after a proper altitude andcourse have been attained by the plane, and wind velocityl and directionestimated, the control wire 16 is pulled, thus Openingthe valve at theend of nozzle 3 and setting the material free to flow out by gravityfeed. In general, the most favorable position is one upwind from thetarget, with due allowance given for the drift of the plane. Atomizationof the li uid takes place at the instant of discharge, lie to thecounterlongitudinal motion of the plane, as previously explained.

If titanium tetrachloride is used for producing a low hanging smokescreen or for sky writing, a very dense cloud is produced as thematerial is atomized, which settles and drifts with the wind. It hasbeen found that the apparatus describedabove, when loaded with thismaterial is suitable for producing smoke screens for ground uses up toan altitude of a hundred feet, spreading the smoke very rapidl from theplane to the ground.

l h instances where mustard gas or other pilot or other per? similarpersistent toxic or vesicant liquidsare used, extremely large numbers ofvery fine drops are produced which drift with the wind and fall to theground, and work efiiciently at the same altitude. The area over whichthe atomized gas may be spread is of course dependent upon the size ofthe container em- .ployed for holding the material.

In the case of the latter materials, the extremely minute droplets ofthe gasor similar liquid produced by the atomization of the material oncontact with the air readily evaporate after reaching the ground, sothat while a large number of casualties may be obtained, the material isrelatively non-persistent and an area so contaminated can quickly beoccu pied by other troo s without harmful results.

It is manifest t at the same will apply in the use of similar substanceswhich are dispensed over fields or on swamps where it is necessary thatthe substances have no ill effects on persons enterin the area operatedupon shortly after it has een spra ed.

It will be at once apparent that t is method f has many advantages overthat heretofore em? ployed, where it has been essential to wait'forseveral days and careful attention aid to the weather before an areaover whic gas had been distributed could be occupied. 11 general, coolweather has often tended to prevent occupancy of sectors which have beenheavily gassed for periods of several weeks.

The minute droplets afforded by the atomization process as presented bythe present apparatus are so dense that they can be effectively anduniformly distributed over entire areas, depending upon the quantity ofliquid dispersed, so that an object the size of a man within thespecified sectors can be affected unless completely protected.

The great reduction of weight in the apparatus which has been madepossible through elimination of the use of pressure with the necessarymechanical appliances,

and by dispensing with any atomizing equipment which has burdenedprevious devices, allows the installation of this apparatus on smallpursuit planes operated by a single pilot. The simplicity of operationwhich merely requires pulling a cord located in the cockpit and thusallowing the material free to discharge, also recommends itself over thecomplicated structures heretofore necessary. It'is highly desirable thatapparatus in which s ial atomizing equipment is not provide be installedon fast planes, as it has been found that the speed of the plane affectsthe atomization process, inasmuch as the counter motion between air andliquid is the atomizing influence.

The economy which is afforded in atomizing materials also isof markedadvantage where the weight carried by a plane, and particularly smallplanes, is an essential factor, as by atomizing materials, far widermustard areas may be contaminated than can possibly be accomplishedwhere the substance 1s dropped in its normal state, as was previouslydone.

There is thus accomplished by this invention a method and apparatus foratomizing materials discharged from airplanes and in which the previousatomizing and pressure being contaminated by the reduction of weight andthe increase in capacity for containingmaterials, and also allows forthe dropping of relatively non-volatile material 1ncomparativelxnon-persistent forms without injury to the" airplane orpersonnel operating the same.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of ourinvention, we

Wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to the precisedetails of construction herein set forth, by way of illustration, as itis apparent that many changes and variations may be made therein, bythose skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of theinvention, or exceeding the scope of the appended'claims.

We clai 1. An apparatus for atomizing fluids from moving aircraftcomprising, means to store the fluid, a line communicating with thestorage means opening at a discharge point, a vent line communicatingwith the storage means, and common means closing the discharge line andthe vent line.

2. An apparatus for atomizing fluids from moving aircraft comprising,means to store the fluids, a line communicating with the storage meansopening at a' discharge point, a vent line encased in the discharge lineterminating at. the discharge point,-a closure to normally preventdischarge and venting of the fluids and means to. remove the closure.

An apparatus for dispensing fluids comprising a containerfor storing thefluids, a discharge line communicating with said container at arelatively low point thereof and opening at a discharge point remotefrom the container, a vent line encased within said discharge line,having its internal end opening near the top of said container and itsexternal end at the discharge point, and a closure to normally closeboth said discharge and said vent lines.

4. An apparatus for dispensing fluids comprising a fluid container,discharge and vent lines communicating with the interior of saidcontainer through the same opening, both of said lines terminating at adischarge point remote from the container, and a'common closure forclosing both of said lines. v

5. An apparatus for dispersing fluids com prising a fluid container,discharge and vent lines communicating with the interior of saidcontainer and terminating at the same point externallyof said container,and a common means'for closing said lines.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures.

NICHOLAS E. OGLE SBY. FLEMING RHWEAVER;

